Paper feeding device



March 18, 1958 1.. A. WILSON ET AL 2,827,291

PAPER FEEDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1955II/III/I/IIIIIIIII/II/IIIIIIIII/IIIIIIII/IIIIIII/I/IlW/I.

GLF- A LAWRENCE A. WILSON CHARLES E. BRANSCOMB AGENT Unite States PatentPAPER FEEDKNG DEVICE Lawrence A. Wilson, Apalachin, and Charles E.Branscomb, Johnson City, N. Y., assignors to International BusinessMachines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication December 23, 1955, Serial No. 555,043

3 Claims. (Cl. 271-45) This invention relates to a paper feeding deviceand more particularly to a clutching means for rapidly initiatingmovement of a sheet of paper at rest.

This application is directed to an improvement which is disclosed butnot claimed in common assignees copending application, Serial No.529,750, filed August 22, 1955.

In many applications, particularly in the record controlled accountingmachine field, it is desirable to stop the feeding of a record sheet orcard leaving the sheet at rest at some operating station along the feedand then at some fixed or variable time later to continue feeding of thesheet. Accordingly, it is the main object of the present invention toprovide a simple and efficient method for restarting the movement orfeed of a sheet.

According to the invention, a continuously running endless tape type ofconveyor is used and means under control of electromagnetic forces areprovided for suitably clamping a loose sheet or record card to thesurface of the tape to restart movement of the sheet.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the tape conveyor is causedto pass between a movable shoe of ferromagnetic material and a devicecomprising means for subjecting the shoe to electromagnetic forces. Therecord sheet rests lightly on the tape, the shoe serving to pinch thesheet between same and the tape for movement therewith.

Several highly desirable features may be found in an endless conveyorsystem employing the magnetic clutching means illustrated in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention. For example, there are nomechanical linkages or connections between the two portions of themagnetic clutching device except the magnetic flux lines themselves, andconsequently record sheets may be fed into the clutching station fromany one of several directions. Another important feature is that sheetsof varying thickness can be accommodated with a single setup of theclutching means. Also, since at least one portion of the clutching meansis yieldable to a certain extent in a direction opposed to the clutchingaction, the probability of sheet or card jams occurring at the clutchingstation is greatly decreased.

It has also been found that the present invention possesses thedesirable feature of being able to im art a quick start to the recordsheet due to the fact that there is very little mass to be moved. Withthe present invention the sheet is clutched quickly without having towait for undue mechanical motions to occur.

Another desirable feature resides in the fact that possible clutch wearis reduced to a minimum because the clamping action is distributed overthe surface of a long tape. It is also possible, if desired, to employ aplurality of these clutches along a single endless tape.

Finally it has been found that the invention works equally well ondifferent kinds of paper as well as on record cards either with orwithout perforated holes therein.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in 2,827,291 Patented Mar. 18,1958 the accompanying drawing, which discloses, by way of example, theprinciple of the invention and the best mode, which has beencontemplated, of applying that principle.-

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a conveyor of non-magneticmaterial, such as nylon, which is mounted in the form of an endless tapeor belt between two cylinders 2 and 3. At least one of the cylinders isdriven so that the tape moves continuously in a clockwise direction.

Mounted adjacent to the inner surface of the tape is an electromagnet 7which may be connected to a suitable direct current source 8 through aswitch 9. A suitable bar 10 of non-magnetic material having a lowcoefficient of friction is fastened to the magnet and serves as apressure bar for the tape.

Mounted adjacent the outer surface of the tape and opposite theelectromagnet 7 is a thin ferromagnetic shoe or plate 15. The magneticplate is fastened to a member 16 which has a pivot connection, through aslot 17 and stud 18, with a pair of links 19 pivoted on a fixed stud 20.The record sheet 11 is fed in at right angle to the direction of tapefeed and passes between the tape and the plate 15 until it strikes apair of fixed stops 12. A low pressure retaining finger 13 is providedwhich may pinch the sheet to a suitable bedplate to overcome anyfrictional force that may be normally exerted on the sheet by thecontinuously moving tape and the sheet is supported at rest.

When it is desired to move the record sheet, switch 9 is closed and thesheet will be firmly clamped between the moving tape and the movablemagnetic plate. The sheet will be moved to the right by the tape andmagnetic plate, the plate also moving along by virtue of its slottedconnection, and subsequently the sheet will be fed on to the nextstation by rollers 14 and the cylinder 2. When the switch is opened, theshoe assembly will be returned to its normal position by springs 21 inreadiness to feed another sheet.

It is clear that a rapid and effective start of the record sheet iseasily accomplished since only the mass of the record sheet plus theslight additional inertia of the thin ferromagnetic shoe need be moved.It is also possible, by slowing down or stopping the tape drive, to usethe present device as a decelerating or braking mechanism for sheets inmotion.

It should be understood that the circuit switch means should not belimited to the manually operated key type shown but that any suitableselective switching means could be used, such as cam controlled contactsor the like. Also, the continuously moving conveyor need not necessarilybe an endless tape or strip but could be a driven roller against whichthe sheet could be pinched by the ferromagnetic shoe.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in theart, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a continuously moving conveyorstrip, electromagnetic means adjacent one side of said strip, aclutching device operable by said electromagnetic means, means formovably supporting said clutching device adjacent the other side of saidstrip, means for supporting a sheet at rest between said strip and saidclutching device, said clutching device being movable into engagementwith said sheet under control of said electromagnetic means and alsomovable with said sheet and strip upon engagement therewith, means forselectively operating said electromagnetic means to effect movement ofsaid sheet by said strip and means connected to said clutching devicefor restoring same in a direction opposite to the movement of said stripupon termination of operation of said electromagnetic means.

2. In a device of the'class; described, a continuously moving conveyorstrip, electromagnetic means adjacent one side of said strip, a shoeadjacent the other side of said strip, support means for said shoeincluding a pivot and slot connection supporting said shoe for movementtoward said strip under control of said electromagnetic means and formovement with said strip upon engaging same, means for supporting asheet at rest between said shoe and said strip, and means 'forselectively operating said electromagnetic means to move said shoeagainst said sheet and strip to effect movement of the sheet by saidstrip and shoe.

3. In a device 'of the class described, a continuously moving conveyorstrip, electromagnetic means adjacent one, side of said, strip, a shoejacent the other side of said strip, a stationary support element, apivot and slot connection "between said shoe and element for supportingsaid shoe for movement toward said strip under control of saidelectromagnetic means and for movement with said strip upon engagingsame; means for supporting a sheet at rest between said shoe and saidstrip, means for selectively operating said electromagnetic means tomove said shoe against said sheet and strip to efiect movement of a thesheet by said strip and shoe, and yieldable means for" restoring saidshoe in a direction opposite to the movement of said strip upontermination of operation of said electromagnetic means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,561,063 Dunlap Nov. 10, 1925

